Its been 14 years (September 24th, 2006) since I married Zach Bertsch.  Its been over 10 years since Zach was diagnosed with cancer and over 7 years since his death.  Thankful that God continues to redeem the hard things in our lives for His glory.  When Ed Schwartz approached me about writing this book in early 2020, I thought about the fact that it could be a huge blessing for our children to have a written record of their dad's life.  I also thought that the young people in Haiti would benefit from the opportunity to learn more about the man who raised funds for the Redemption Campus. Finally, I thought about the many people who blessed our family with prayers and support over the years; could they be inspired by learning more about God's work in our lives?  I'm so thankful that family and friends joined me in sharing memories with Ed.  The digging deep and remembering brought lots of emotions for all of us, some that we didn't really want to relive and others that brought laughter.  My prayer is that this book can bless and encourage all who read it. 

Contact LSM if you would like to order a copy of the book:

https://loving-shepherd.org/

Testimony of God's Goodness

A beautiful young woman came up to me with tears in her eyes at church a week ago and shared with me that she is a Christian today in part because of Zach's testimony on the HOME cd. She told me that she listened to it over and over and as a result she was given courage to go to her parents and ask for their help to surrender her life to Christ. Moriah observed our conversation and asked me many questions. I am so thankful that she could witness the impact of Zach's life and death on another person and I pray that as she grows her Daddy Zach's testimony will draw her to Christ too.

God is so good in reminding me that our family's pain has purpose. Even four years after Zach's death things happen to remind us of our great loss and decisions that have to be made because Zach is no longer with us. God has brought so much healing into our lives and has answered many prayers in the last year as we have transitioned to having Jordan as our husband and father. I am not sure what the future will bring for our family, but my testimony remains that God is Good and I can trust in Him.

 

Adoption

From Christian Alliance For Orphans:

• Total estimated number of orphans worldwide:  153 million
• Estimated number that have lost only their mother: 34.5 million
• Estimated number that have lost only their father: 101 million
• Estimated number of “double orphans”:  17.8 million (Source:  U.S. Government “5th Annual Report to Congress on Public Law 109-95” and affirmed by UNICEF)

Adoption is never far from my heart.  Talking about and promoting adoption has been a passion of mine most of my adult life.  I was blessed to spend 10 years writing home studies for adoptive families and now walk beside families as they make important decisions about how to start their adoption journey (https://loving-shepherd.org/working-with-adoption/).  My heart's desire is that every orphaned child would be given the blessing of a godly family.  It is this passion that partially inspired the Cancer Redemption Project ( http://cancerredemption.com/) five years ago.  It is this passion that keeps me going to orphan and adoption conferences year after year.  It is this passion that causes me to examine my life often and ask God if the time is right for a vulnerable child to become part of my own family.  An almost daily prayer at our house is that some day God will allow our family to provide a home for a child who needs a family (Zion prays specifically for a boy).  The need is so great and there are so many barriers in the way of families who desire to open their homes to a child.  

Friends or family members answering the call to adopt brings me a lot joy.  A while ago my good friends, Tim and Christa, told me they were starting the adoption process and last month I got the privilege of seeing the picture of two precious little boys from Uganda who they pray will become part of their family in the coming months.  One of the barriers of adoption for many families is the cost of all the paperwork, legal processes, and travel associated with adopting.  My friend Sarah is asking for people to donate towards Tim and Christa's adoption costs on her blog.  To get more information about their adoption process and to learn about how you can make a donation toward their adoption costs Visit: http://sarahflyingkites.blogspot.com/  Sarah is offering a special gift card give-away to people who donate towards Tim and Christa's adoption costs by next Wednesday (10/28).

 

Please join me in praying that the paperwork can be completed so Tim and Christa can travel to get their boys. Pray that Tim and Christa will have wisdom to prepare their biological sons Jack and Willis for the addition of brothers into their family.  Please pray for protection over M and K as they wait for their forever family.

Summer 2015

I can't believe how long is has been since I posted.  Our summer was incredibly busy.  Not sure how it happened really but there were just too many things we wanted to do and so many people I wanted to catch up with.  Zion and Moriah spent the first two weeks of June attending VBS in the morning.  We also hosted my brother Jason for a week.  On June 15/16 we traveled to Chicago with Tim, Christa, Jack, and Willis to attend VBS at the Chicago AC church and visit the Lego Discovery Center.  Some of my siblings visited us the weekend of June 16-17. 

Lego Discovery Center

Lego Discovery Center

Zion playing Wii with Uncle Jordan

Atyiah and Moriah

On July 2nd we loaded up our van and made the 11 hour drive to Bern, Kansas to visit Brandon and Heidi.  We spent three great days with them and enjoyed the local 4th of July celebration.  Our trip home on the 6th included a stop at IKEA in Kansas City (my kids did great for how many hours we spent there).  We spent a few days at home and then left again on July 9th for three days at Lake Erie with the Rufener family.  The kids and I spent Sunday July 12th at the  Toledo AC church and Doug and Lanna hosted us after church.  We spent most of the next two weeks in Bluffton.  Then we headed to Illinois on July 23 to spend two days with Leann, Lexi, Wesley, Whitley, and Lainey.  On the 25th we met my sister Julie at the Bloomington Children's Museum and were surprised when Jack and Willis arrived with their grandparents.  On  Sunday (7/26) we attended the Fairbury AC Church with Julie and had dinner with some of her friends after church.  In the evening we attended a church singing and I was excited to catch up with my friends Kurt and Julie.  

Fun with Brandon and Heidi

Combining with Earl

Moriah, Heidi and I ready for Church 

Rufener Cousins (8 kids 8 and under)

Julie winning favorite Aunt points

Zion's 8th Birthday Party

Moriah and Whitley

Zion and Jack at Bloomington Children's Museum

Moriah and Julie at Children's Museum

Zion Dressing up

Moriah Painting Pottery

Getting ready to say good bye to Aunt Julie

On August 1st we attended the Gateway Woods Auction and then left for our vacation at Lake Webster with the Bertsch Family.  On Sunday Ryan preached at the South Bend AC Church, so Mike/Carmon, Aaron/Cassie/Corrie, Zion, Moriah, and I went along.  We spent the rest of the week enjoying the water, sun, boat, and the company of the Don Fiechter family.  I was really proud of Zion and Moriah for trying new things.  Moriah did great swimming at the beach, enjoyed jet ski rides, and rode on the tube behind the boat a few times.  Zion loved riding on the tube fast and learned how to knee board. I spend a lot of time sitting in the shade while supervising the kids (not sure how many books I read while we were there).  We got home on August 8th. 

Swimming to Turtle Island

Grandma and Grandpa with 16 Grand kids

Having Fun

Ice Cream Stop

Turtles were popular

Knee Boarding

August 10th was a big day for us.  The kids first day of school at a new school and the official end of our summer travels. Zion was actually sick the first day so he started school on the 11th.   

First Day-1st Grade

First Day-2nd Grade

Snow Day Recipes

The kids didn't have school today because of the snow, so we were at home for the third day in a row (Zion had pink eye on Sunday and Saturday we just didn't have any plans).  They have played pretty creatively most of the day; having a lot of fun with some large boxes, stuffed animals, and lots of games.  They also went outside and lasted about 30 minutes in the snow.  While they played I made two recipes that are worth sharing.  First is my favorite homemade granola recipe (a big thanks to Heidi Gerber for giving me this one). 

Homemade Granola 
(I normally double the recipe)

Ingredients:

6 cups uncooked oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup whole wheat flout
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup coconut oil
2/3 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees
2. In a large bowl combine oats, coconut, flour, spices, and salt.  Mix well.
3.  In a saucepan heat the oil, maple syrup, and vanilla until warn.  Pour this over the oat mixture and stir well.
4.Spread this in a think layer on 2-3 cookie sheets, press into pan with back of a spoon.  Bake in the oven at 300 degrees for 40 minutes, stirring after 20 minutes.
5.  As it cools  it becomes harder, more granola like.  Store in an airtight container. 

Whole Wheat Bread
http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/05/make-6-loaves-of-whole-wheat-bread-in.html

I really like whole wheat bread but have not had much success with bread recipes.  It is so frustrating to go to all the work to make bread and then have a bad taste or texture.  This recipe has worked twice for me and really doesn't take me much time since I have a Bosch mixer. I ground the wheat in my Vitamix using the dry blade container. This recipe took me more than the suggested hour because I let it rise longer than 20 minutes. Probably the best thing about this recipe is that Zion and Moriah will eat it even though it is healthy.  

So enough about my baking-I need to start washing dishes.  My least favorite part of cooking and I am procrastinating by sharing these recipes.  Before I go though a couple of pictures of the kids enjoying the snow.

  

Surely the Presence of the Lord Is in This Place

I have found myself pouring my heart out to God often in the last 24 hours as I have admitted my weaknesses to Him and asked for Him to give me peace as He directs my life.  I told a friend yesterday that at times I feel like I am back in my early 20s again trying to figure out what God wants me to do with the rest of my life only this time around it is more complicated because I have two children and so many more life experiences.  During my  devotions this morning I read the following quote by Stormie Omartian, "His purpose for our trails is often to bring us humbly before Him to experience a breaking in our inner, independent, self-sufficient selves, and grow us up into compassionate, patient, spiritually strong, God glorifying people.  He uses these situations to teach us how to trust that He loves and cares for us enough to get us through the tough times"  Over this past year God has taught me so much about surrendering everything to Him and trusting Him to work out the details that I don't understand.  This surrender is a daily process and I have discovered that He is my Rock when it feels like I have no where else to turn.  God also faithfully provides other people to support me when I just need to talk about the things I struggle with.  I read may wonderful verses this morning and Hebrews 11:14-16 stood out among them. 

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 11:14-16 (ESV)

When I finished my devotions and started my day this song was running through my mind.  God is so good to remind me that He is with me always.  I can hold on to this morning as one of those times when He gave me a little extra reminder that He is really listening to the prayers on my heart.

(Sorry not sure how to post this without the links to other youtube videos at the end.)

Goals week 2

 

Last Weeks Goals:

I didn't accomplish everything on the list because I spent time doing other things not on my list and to be honest I didn't always use my time wisely.  I was blessed to have lunch with three different ladies (a huge encouragement) and got some shopping done for Christmas. 

Kids

 

1-Have Zion and Moriah complete 3 chores each day in order to earn i-pad privileges.

Zion is starting to ask what chores he wants me to do and asking me to pay him money to do chores so he can buy a Lego set.  Moriah cleaned her room on Monday and Zion helped with dishes and laundry.  Both of them get a little irritated when I ask them to pick up toys and want me to come up with other things they can do-so feel free to send ideas.  They are still spending too much time on their i-pads.   

 

2-Spend time each day reading to Zion and Moriah and helping them with their home work

I pretty much failed at this one.  Zion and I studied two days for spelling and Moriah and I completed her homework one evening.  We did do a few activities together this week including putting up our Christmas Tree and watching a movie together that I remember enjoying as a child.

 

Photos

 

3-Complete our 2011 digital photo book (I have 2-3 months of pictures to add before I can print it)

I worked on this book for almost two hours on Thursday and got through 1/2 of our December pictures.  I need to finish December and put in all the pictures for July. I really don't mind working on my book-I just need to get motivated to sit at the computer and start working on it.

 

4-Put the photos I ordered last week in pictures frames

This is about 80% done. I need to buy another picture frame and order a few pictures in different sizes to fill a few empty frames. 

 

Other

 

5-Spend at least on hour de-cluttering my office area.

I spent 30 minutes on both Wednesday and Friday doing this.  Setting a timer was really helpful in getting me started on this overwhelming task.  

 

6-Spend an hour cleaning/organizing my closet.   

Worked on my closet for over an hour on Saturday and got rid of summer clothing that I didn't wear this summer. Organized my winter shirts by color and moved to the center of my closet. 

This weeks goals:

I am going to cut down on my goals for this week since we have a lot of Thanksgiving plans.

Kids

1-Have Zion and Moriah complete 3 chores each day in order to earn i-pad privileges.

 

Photos 

2-Finish putting December 2011 photos in digital photo book

3-Print labels for Christmas Cards so I can save on postage by passing them out to family members at Thanksgiving events.  Hoping to have the kids stick on the labels.  

Other

4-Spend 1 hour cleaning office and entry area.

5-Get food and clothing ready for Thankgiving events.